1. TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a test kit and a method for performing a medical test using a chemical test pad, and more particularly to a test kit and a method wherein two reagent materials used in a medical test are separately stored in a unitary package until ready for use.
2. PRIOR ART
Advances in medical science have led to the development of diagnostic tests for detecting various conditions. With many diseases it is imperative that early diagnosis be made so that treatment may be administered when most effective. Frequently, administration of the test and analysis of the test results are simple enough for patients to perform themselves. This is particularly true of tests using a sensitized swab or pad which changes color upon contact with a specimen. To assure acceptance by patients, self-administered tests must be as simple as possible to perform and analyze.
One type of diagnostic test, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,923 to Friend, is used to detect the presence of occult blood in fecal material. The presence of occult (not visible) blood is tested in a toilet bowl containing water and fecal material by first spraying a tissue which is impregnated with a guaiac reagent with a developing solution made up of alcohol and peroxide. The sensitized tissue is then placed in the toilet bowl to perform the test. If traces of blood are present in the toilet bowl, the guaiac reagent undergoes a reaction in which it turns blue.
The presence of occult blood in fecal material has been found to be an early sign of digestive tract cancer. It is important to detect the presence of blood before the blood from internal bleeding becomes visible in fecal material. If bleeding caused by digestive tract cancer is detected at an early stage, the chances of successful treatment are dramatically improved.
Since there is a natural aversion to handling fecal material it is preferable to test for the presence of occult blood in the toilet bowl. By so doing, many of the objections of patients to self-administering such a test are overcome. The test can be both performed and analyzed in the toilet bowl without direct contact with the fecal material thereby improving patient acceptance of the test.
However, the test disclosed in Friend suffers from certain drawbacks and problems. According to the test procedure described in the patent the subject must spray the guaiac impregnated paper with the alcohol and peroxide solution to activate the guaiac prior to performing the test. Many patients have been afraid to perform the test since they are required to handle a chemically treated paper and spray a chemical substance on the paper without fully understanding what it is they are dealing with. In performing the procedure the solution can be wasted or inadvertently sprayed on the patient or on objects other than the tissue. The peroxide solution is hazardous if it is sprayed in or otherwise comes in contact with a patient's eyes. The peroxide solution may also bleach some objects if accidentally spilled.
The present invention is directed to overcoming all of the prior objections to the method disclosed in Friend while still retaining all of the advantages of the test.